Player controlled tethered striking element and playing pieces

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for playing a game by teams of players comprising a playing surface appropriately marked to designate the team, playing pieces in the form of pins of different colors for each team, and a striker suspended from cords or ropes attached to the players, the object of the game being to knock down the opponents&#39;&#39; playing pieces by movement of the striker.

O United States Patent 1 [111 3,747,929 Burke July 24, 1973 [54] PLAYERCONTROLLED TETHERED 1,695,624 12/1928 Welpley 273/97 R STRIKING ELEMENTD PLAYING 1,812,253 6/1931 Bonham 273/95 R PIECES 2,684,850 7/1954Williams... 273/95 A 2,937,023 5/1960 Seymour.... 273/1 R [75] Inventor:William B. Burke, Springfield, Mass. 2,982,549 5/1961 LibOW 2 /95 A86,337 1/1869 Zink 273/98 [73] Assignee: Milton Bradley Company,

sprmgfield Mass Primary E,xaminer--Richard C. Pinkham 22 Sept 11 1972Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney-Kenwood Ross et al. [211App]. N0.: 287,914

v [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 273/98, 273/95 A, 273/1 R Apparatus forplaying a game by teams of players com- [51] Int. Cl A63b 72/01 prisinga playing surface appropriately marked to desig- [58] Field of Search273/95 A, 97 R, 101 nate the team, playing pieces in the form of pins ofdif- 273/1 R, 95 R, 98 ferent colors for each team, and a strikersuspended from cords or ropes attached to the players, the object [56]References Cited of the game being to knock down the opponents play- UNTES PATENTS ing pieces by movement of the striker.

300,097 6/1884 McAllister 273/97 R 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJUL 2 4 I973 SHEEI 2 BF 2 FIG.8.

FIG.7.

FIG.6.

PLAYER CONTROLLED TETIIERED STRIKING ELEMENT AND PLAYING PIECES Aprimary object of the invention is to provide game apparatus whereinteams of players by cooperative efforts attempt to knock down theiropponents playing pieces by means of a swinging striker.

Another object of the invention is to provide game apparatus wherein astriker is suspended from ropes or cords attached at their ends to teamsof players, the striker being swung by body movements of the players.

These and other objects will be apparent from a consideration of theannexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the game of theinvention is played;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the game mat and pins or game pieces;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the game matand one of the pins or game pieces;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the striker swivel;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the body encircling means;and

FIGS. 6 8 are broken front elevational views of the swivel and strikerplate arranged for short, medium and tall players, respectively.

To play the game, partners form teams and try to cooperate in directinga swinging striker to knock down opponents pins while protecting theirown pins. They do this by swiveling their hips to and fro, and from Sideto side.

The swinging striker is designated by 10 and depends from a swivel plate12 through which ropes or cords 14 extend, the ropes or cords beingadapted to be attached at their ends to the players in the manner shownin FIG. 5 as by looping about the players waists, a sliding buckle 16being employed to facilitate such attachment.

Hip pads 18 may also be used for player comfort.

The striker may be attached directly to an arm 20 which is pivoted to aring 22 through which the ropes or cords 14 pass so as to depend fromthe swivel plate.

Alternatively, one or more extension pieces 24 may be releasablydisposed between the striker and the arm for taller players as showninFIGS. 7 and 8.

A mat or playing surface 26 is placed on the floor or ground and theplayers are spaced therearound, with partners facing each other.

Boundry markers 28 are provided at the corners of the mat to designatethe areas in which the players must operate.

Pins or playing pieces 30 are placed on the mat or immediately off themat within the area bounded by markers 28. Pips or teardrop insignia 32on the mat serve as guides to the placement of the pins. The insignia 32may be of different colors, as for instance red and yellow to indicatethe two teams.

Larger pips or teardrop insignia 34, which may also be of differentcolors, are provided to clearly indicate the teams.

After assembling the swinging apparatus, the mat is placed on the floorinside, or gound outside, several feet from furniture or obstructions,and the boundry markers 28 are laid down.

Players then choose teams with, for instance, two players forming a redteam and two a yellow team. Red partners stand facing each other, atopposite sides of the playing mat, in line with the two large redteardrops 34. The yellow partners do the same in line with the largeyellow teardrops. The small teardrops 32 are for pin placment asmentioned above.

Players attach their ropes and the game is ready to play.

After the pins are placed, the players adjust their dis tances from themat so that the striker dangles closely over the mat center.

Each player now places a hand on each of his two hip pads, and keepsthem there during the play of the game.

One player, acting as starter, gives a signal and play begins for allfour players at once.

Players can swing, sway, crouch or stand on their toes. They may moveforward, backward, right or left. However, a players foot may not touchthe target mat nor step over either of his boundary lines.

Partners attempt to work together, causing the striker to swing andknock down opponents pins. The red team attempts to knock down theyellow pins and the yellow team the red pins. Partners try to protectpins of their color, which is the color of the teardrop facing them onthe mat.

When all three pins of one team are knocked down, a round ends with theteam with the three downed pins being the loser of the round. Thewinning team of the round scores one point for each pin of its colorstill standing. That is, one pin up scores one point, two pins up, twopoints and three pins up, three points.

A round also ends when a player of either team steps on the target mator over either of his boundry lines. This is a penalty against his teamand the opponent team is awarded three points.

All six target pins are set up for the start of each new round.

A team, at the end of any round, with an accumulated total of five ormore points, is the winner of the game.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for playing a game by teams of players comprising, aplaying surface, playing pieces for positioning on the playing surface,a striker for striking the playing pieces, and cords attached to andextending from said striker, said cords suspending the striker andadapted to be stretched to the players from the striker whereby theplayers move their bodies to give motion to the striker and impact theplaying pieces.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including colored indicia on theplaying surface for indicating teams and for indicating playing pieceplacement.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the playing pieces are pinsappropriately colored in team colors.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, including boundry markers fordelineating player boundaries.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for varying thelength of the striker for accommodating to player height.

1. Apparatus for playing a game by teams of players comprising, aplaying surface, playing pieces for positioning on the playing surface,a striker for striking the playing pieces, and cords attached to andextending from said striker, said cords suspending the striker andadapted to be stretched to the players from the striker whereby theplayers move their bodies to give motion to the striker and impact theplaying pieces.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including coloredindicia on the playing surface for indicating teams and for indicatingplaying piece placement.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theplaying pieces are pins appropriately colored in team colors. 4.Apparatus according to claim 1, including boundry markers fordelineating player boundaries.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1,including means for varying the length of the striker for accommodatingto player height.